


Malfunction

by Maxibillion



Category: Neon District (Video Game), Roblox (Video Game)
Genre: F/M, Gen, Max has issues if no one can tell, ND will be a Fandom tag eventually, Neon District, Not a shipping fic but the interpretation is there, Not meant to generalize people with his kind of disorders but it's ND, Not the best but it's weird writing ASL dialogue and trying to be 3rd person omni
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-18
Updated: 2020-12-18
Packaged: 2021-03-10 22:55:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,826
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28144977
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Maxibillion/pseuds/Maxibillion
Summary: Max wears a scarf.
Relationships: Maximilian Fisher & Sabrina Browns, Original Character & Original Character





	Malfunction

**Author's Note:**

> Sabrina is my friend's oc that I was generously allowed to write! (And she's the Sabs mentioned in my other work Interview)

Max adjusted the scarf around his neck as he walked to the news station, glaring at whoever had the audacity to happen to glance at him. As he tried to ignore the dulled buzzing of his thoughts racing around his head that didn’t stop even after he had a bottle of Ambrosia for breakfast. 

The district was busy as usual. People walking about, indiscernible screams in the distance, and the sound of the near constantly falling rain. 

He left his umbrella at home again.

He hardly noticed that he was getting wet. Instead, his mind lingered to the feeling around his throat that refused to leave his thoughts no matter how hard he tried. It was his fault of course, at least, that’s what he’s telling himself. It hurt to breathe deeply, although whether that was the fault of the wound or his corset was anyone’s guess. And even looking around too fast at his surroundings hurt. A fact he was reminded of as his thoughts got the better of him. 

Max walked into the studio quickly, hoping no one was going to stop him for idle conversation. Luckily no one did. In fact, the news station in itself was emptier than usual. He leaned on the wall near the entrance as he checked his email on his workpad. Eventually glaring at the screen as he checked what he received from Nexus.

_ Hello Maximilian Fisher, _

_ Your appointment has been moved from tomorrow at 12 pm to next Tuesday at 11 am. This is due to an increase in volume of high priority customers. _

_ We are sorry for any inconvenience this may cause. _

_ Signed,  _

_ Nexus Solutions Customer Support. _

Max stared at the screen for several minutes as he tried to stop himself from making a very expensive mistake. He couldn’t stop himself from throwing the tablet across the room. Watching as the screen shattered when it hit the wall. His anger had not subsided even after, as he felt as though he wanted to scream. His fists were clenched and his mind was racing. Yet he forced himself to stay in place. 

It wasn’t fair. 

That’s all that was running through Max’s mind. That after everything he’s done. Everything he still does. How terrible he knows he is. 

It’s when he does nothing, when he tries to conform, that he faces situations like this one. He’s painfully aware of his own overreacting, it was only an appointment. 

Though if anything that knowledge only made his rapidly declining mood drop faster. The thought that even though he knew he was terrible, that he knew he was some unimportant reporter, and that he should’ve died mere hours ago-

Then the paranoia set in.

The once racing thoughts somehow lessened in confusion yet increased in severity. He kept looking around. Someone might be behind him after all. Someone might try to kill him. They might try to hurt him. It wasn’t his fault. 

But it always was, wasn’t it? 

If he had just kept his mouth shut for once it would’ve been fine. 

Right? 

No no it couldn’t be. They’re trying to hurt him. They’re going to hurt him. He knows that. That must be why everyone’s out of the news station, a plot. It must be a plot. They’re all in on it. All of them. He knows it is. He knows they are. He could leave but that if they trapped the door-

“Max?”

He turned on his heel with a panicked look in his eyes until he realized who he was looking at. Conflicted between the feeling of panic that told him this was truly his end, and desperately wanting her help to make it stop. 

He couldn’t respond even if he wanted to after all.

“Max?” Sabrina repeated. She stayed in the doorway of the station, as she knew what could happen if she got any closer.

Max tried to take a step backwards but bumped into something. He sharply turned from pure shock before realizing he merely hit the welcome desk. He had to catch his breath, as he had stopped from the scare. Before feeling a gentle feeling on his arm. In his panic he reached harshly to whatever had touched him. 

It took a moment for Max to realize what he had done until he saw the wince of pain on his friend’s face. He looked down at his hand to see he was crushing her wrist in his grip. 

He didn’t let go. 

He knew he should. She’s obviously in pain. And pain makes her upset, and the last thing he wants is to make her upset. But she’s going to kill him one day. He knows it. He could prevent it, he knows that. To snap her bones like twigs and leave her in a dumpster. He could. He knew he could. 

He could return the favor of what was done to him by the Watch she loves so dearly. Suffocate her. 

“A stupid fucking reporter who needs to shut his damn mouth!” 

Those words rang through his mind so vividly he could’ve sworn he was still there. Pressed against a wall after seeing a Watch member making an illegal dealing in an alleyway. He thought it would be fine. To poke some fun. To be as charismatic as he is on television. To try and make a fake deal for information.

He only escaped after stabbing the Watchman in the arm. But then...

It was only when Max remembered the details that he snapped out of his thoughts and realized that the rest of the news crew might have been reporting on that murder. He let go of Sabrina’s wrist, still panicked but much less angry than before.

Sabrina was holding her wrist as she cautiously asked, “Are you okay?” Even if the answer was clear.

Max mouthed the words, “No fucking shit, Sabs.” But no sound came out and he entered a harsh coughing fit not long after.

“Is your augment working?” 

Max shook his head, making a fist and bringing it around in a circle in front of his chest. Saying a word he could hardly ever say aloud, ‘sorry’.

Sabrina clearly didn’t understand, “Can you use your workpad and use the text to speech?”

Max rolled his eyes as he pointed to the broken workpad across the room.

“Oh...Is your phone dead? I’ve been trying to call you but you never picked up.” 

Max did a lot of hand movements and gestures very quickly that summed up to, “No fucking shit I always answer your calls I thought I was the fucking dumbass here are you joking right now?” Though he just rolled his eyes once again after seeing Sabrina’s blatant confusion once again. He took off his scarf to reveal the still vibrant bruises on his throat, as they were too painful to cover up with makeup. The blacks and blues nearly covered up the hint of a red dragon’s tail.

Sabrina gasped, “Max! Sit down- and you can’t say no this time!” She walked around and got a first aid kit out of the desk. Attempting to put her foot down as though Max wasn’t looking down at her with a borderline bored expression. Though he eventually gave in and sat in the chair as Sabrina started to try and “patch up” the wound.

“How did this happen? Wait you can’t answer and I left my phone with Mason since he had a charger. Oh! Here.” She took a notepad out of her jacket, handing it to Max with a pen.

Max wrote on it for a while as Sabrina continued to try and help his wounds. He was writing so much so quickly he hadn’t noticed Sabrina ask him something before she said it a bit louder than her usual quiet volume.

“Can you take off your jacket?” 

He raised a brow at the question as Sabrina explained, “You always have more injuries. Unless you don’t want to. I can’t really force you.”

He debated the possibilities of what could happen letting even more of his guard down. But a fact that he had come to terms with since they became friends was that even if she kills him... 

He’d rather die by her hand than feel alone. 

Granted that’s not saying much, he’s never held his life in high regard. Not when he’s not panicking. But out of anyone still alive he knows he’d rather it be her to end his karmic and miserable life.

“Max?”

Max snapped out of his thoughts once again and took off his suit jacket. He rolled up the sleeves of his button up to reveal many wounds. 

Most were now scars though some were fresh, and all were decorating now faded red tattoos. 

Even Sabrina seemed startled that there were new scars, breathing in a small and quiet gasp.

Max handed her the notepad as he tapped his fingers on the desk. The pages he wrote in were filled with remnants of what may have been pages of details, but are now mostly covered by rampant scribbles. 

There were a few things Sabrina could make out; That a Watch had strangled Max, a lot of swearing, a phrase that Sabrina had only heard Max say once which had led to a catastrophe, a few lines that repeated synonyms to the word ‘loud’, and something with the word ‘Starr’ in it.

Sabrina set the notepad aside and started to take care of some of the wounds on Max’s arms. She didn’t say anything and he couldn’t if he tried. So they sat in silence, with Max occasionally flinching when he snapped out of his thoughts. 

“And there. That didn’t take long right? And now it should feel better now, at least a bit. And I know you say it doesn’t hurt but I’m not stupid.” 

Max tapped his hand on his chin before bringing that hand forward, and immediately retracting the thank you by signing, “You could’ve fooled me.”

Sabrina didn’t know what he said except for thank you, though she assumed from the slightest playful smirk on his face that he said something smart. Though she was relieved to see her friend brighten up, even a little bit.

“Well considering your...impaired. What do you want to do? I could tell our boss and you could go home.” She suggested.

Max shook his head and made a motion as though he was drinking, causing Sabrina to sigh.

“Maybe not alcohol this time?” 

Max looked at Sabrina with an expression as though he was testing her, before opening a drawer in the desk and taking out a bottle of Ambrosia. Opening it and downing the bottle faster than Sabrina could protest.

“...Really?” Sabrina sighed once again with an exasperated expression.

Max just made a noiseless laugh as he made the ‘ok’ sign with his hand before turning it vertically. Much to Sabrina’s confusion and his own amusement.


End file.
